11 U.S. Code § 704 - Duties of trustee

(1)collect and reduce to money the property of the estate for which such trustee serves, and close such estate as expeditiously as is compatible with the best interests of parties in interest;

(2)be accountable for all property received;

(3)ensure that the debtor shall perform his intention as specified in section
521(a)(2)(B) of this title;

(4)investigate the financial affairs of the debtor;

(5)if a purpose would be served, examine proofs of claims and object to the allowance of any claim that is improper;

(6)if advisable, oppose the discharge of the debtor;

(7)unless the court orders otherwise, furnish such information concerning the estate and the estate’s administration as is requested by a party in interest;

(8)if the business of the debtor is authorized to be operated, file with the court, with the United States trustee, and with any governmental unit charged with responsibility for collection or determination of any tax arising out of such operation, periodic reports and summaries of the operation of such business, including a statement of receipts and disbursements, and such other information as the United States trustee or the court requires;

(9)make a final report and file a final account of the administration of the estate with the court and with the United States trustee;

(10)if with respect to the debtor there is a claim for a domestic support obligation, provide the applicable notice specified in subsection (c);

(11)if, at the time of the commencement of the case, the debtor (or any entity designated by the debtor) served as the administrator (as defined in section 3 of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974) of an employee benefit plan, continue to perform the obligations required of the administrator; and

(12)use all reasonable and best efforts to transfer patients from a health care business that is in the process of being closed to an appropriate health care business that—

(A)is in the vicinity of the health care business that is closing;

(B)provides the patient with services that are substantially similar to those provided by the health care business that is in the process of being closed; and

(C)maintains a reasonable quality of care.

(b)

(1)With respect to a debtor who is an individual in a case under this chapter—

(A)the United States trustee (or the bankruptcy administrator, if any) shall review all materials filed by the debtor and, not later than 10 days after the date of the first meeting of creditors, file with the court a statement as to whether the debtor’s case would be presumed to be an abuse under section
707(b); and

(B)not later than 7 days after receiving a statement under subparagraph (A), the court shall provide a copy of the statement to all creditors.

(2)The United States trustee (or bankruptcy administrator, if any) shall, not later than 30 days after the date of filing a statement under paragraph (1), either file a motion to dismiss or convert under section
707(b) or file a statement setting forth the reasons the United States trustee (or the bankruptcy administrator, if any) does not consider such a motion to be appropriate, if the United States trustee (or the bankruptcy administrator, if any) determines that the debtor’s case should be presumed to be an abuse under section
707(b) and the product of the debtor’s current monthly income, multiplied by 12 is not less than—

(A)in the case of a debtor in a household of 1 person, the median family income of the applicable State for 1 earner; or

(B)in the case of a debtor in a household of 2 or more individuals, the highest median family income of the applicable State for a family of the same number or fewer individuals.

(c)

(1)In a case described in subsection (a)(10) to which subsection (a)(10) applies, the trustee shall—

(A)

(i)provide written notice to the holder of the claim described in subsection (a)(10) of such claim and of the right of such holder to use the services of the State child support enforcement agency established under sections 464 and 466 of the Social Security Act for the State in which such holder resides, for assistance in collecting child support during and after the case under this title;

(ii)include in the notice provided under clause (i) the address and telephone number of such State child support enforcement agency; and

(iii)include in the notice provided under clause (i) an explanation of the rights of such holder to payment of such claim under this chapter;

(B)

(i)provide written notice to such State child support enforcement agency of such claim; and

(ii)include in the notice provided under clause (i) the name, address, and telephone number of such holder; and

(C)at such time as the debtor is granted a discharge under section
727, provide written notice to such holder and to such State child support enforcement agency of—

(i)the granting of the discharge;

(ii)the last recent known address of the debtor;

(iii)the last recent known name and address of the debtor’s employer; and

(iv)the name of each creditor that holds a claim that—

(I)is not discharged under paragraph (2), (4), or (14A) of section
523(a); or

(A)The holder of a claim described in subsection (a)(10) or the State child support enforcement agency of the State in which such holder resides may request from a creditor described in paragraph (1)(C)(iv) the last known address of the debtor.

(B)Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a creditor that makes a disclosure of a last known address of a debtor in connection with a request made under subparagraph (A) shall not be liable by reason of making such disclosure.

Section 704(8) of the Senate amendment is deleted in the House amendment. Trustees should give constructive notice of the commencement of the case in the manner specified under section
549(c) of title
11.

senate report no. 95–989

The essential duties of the trustee are enumerated in this section. Others, or elaborations on these, may be prescribed by the Rules of Bankruptcy Procedure to the extent not inconsistent with those prescribed by this section. The duties are derived from section 47a of the Bankruptcy Act [section 75(a) of former title 11].

The trustee’s principal duty is to collect and reduce to money the property of the estate for which he serves, and to close up the estate as expeditiously as is compatible with the best interests of parties in interest. He must be accountable for all property received, and must investigate the financial affairs of the debtor. If a purpose would be served (such as if there are assets that will be distributed), the trustee is required to examine proofs of claims and object to the allowance of any claim that is improper. If advisable, the trustee must oppose the discharge of the debtor, which is for the benefit of general unsecured creditors whom the trustee represents.

The trustee is responsible to furnish such information concerning the estate and its administration as is requested by a party in interest. If the business of the debtor is authorized to be operated, then the trustee is required to file with governmental units charged with the responsibility for collection or determination of any tax arising out of the operation of the business periodic reports and summaries of the operation, including a statement of receipts and disbursements, and such other information as the court requires. He is required to give constructive notice of the commencement of the case in the manner specified under section
342(b).

References in Text

Section 3 of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, referred to in subsec. (a)(11), is classified to section
1002 of Title
29, Labor.

Sections 464 and 466 of the Social Security Act, referred to in subsec. (c)(1)(A)(i), are classified to sections
664 and
666, respectively, of Title
42, The Public Health and Welfare.

Amendment by Pub. L. 109–8effective 180 days after Apr. 20, 2005, and not applicable with respect to cases commenced under this title before such effective date, except as otherwise provided, see section 1501 ofPub. L. 109–8, set out as a note under section
101 of this title.

Effective Date of 1986 Amendment

Effective date and applicability of amendment by Pub. L. 99–554dependent upon the judicial district involved, see section 302(d), (e) ofPub. L. 99–554, set out as a note under section
581 of Title
28, Judiciary and Judicial Procedure.

Effective Date of 1984 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 98–353effective with respect to cases filed 90 days after July 10, 1984, see section 552(a) ofPub. L. 98–353, set out as a note under section
101 of this title.

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